Hand Pies

aka Cornish pasties. This one actually came from a D&D cookbook and they are flaky, filling, and delicious.

Ingredients

  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 1 large (about 8 oz) Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 leeks, white and light green parts halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Pastry for 2 double-crust pies (about 1-1/2 lbs), thawed if frozen (or one recipe Pie Crust)
  • 1 egg
  • Ketchup, grainy mustard, or steak sauce to serve (optional)

Directions

  1. In large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon, turning as necessary, until well-rendered and lightly browned, about 13 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and reserve 2-1/2 Tbsp rendered fat.
  2. Return 1-1/2 Tbsp fat to skillet and allow to warm over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  3. Add potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 7 minutes.
  4. Add remaining 1 Tbsp bacon fat and warm until shimmering. Add leeks, thyme, and 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring, until leeks soften, about 4 minutes.
  5. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Scrape mixture into bowl and set aside.
  6. Wipe out skillet and return to medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring and breaking up clumps, until no longer pink, 4-5 minutes.
  7. Adjust heat to medium, add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 1-2 minutes. Add broth and 3/4 tsp salt and cook, using wooden spoon to scape bottom of skillet to loosen and dissolve any sticking browned bits, until mixture thickens and is almost a little pasty, about 2 minutes.
  8. Scrape into bowl with potato mixture and stir to incorporate. Set aside to cool until barely warm, about 20 minutes.
  9. Crumble the bacon and add with parsley to the potato and beef mixture. Stir to incorporate and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
  10. Preheat oven to 375° with a rack in the center. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick liner. Have a small bowl of water handy. If working with homemade pastry, divide dough into quarters.
  11. On a lightly floured surface, roll out a quarter of the dough to make rounds. Cut dough into a 8"x10" oval. Place 1 cup of filling on bottom third of dough (narrow end), leaving about 1-1/2" border around the edges.
  12. Moisten the whole perimeter of dough with water and, using a bench scraper if necessary, fold the top of the oval over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Press the dough around the filling to eliminate any air and to seal. Use the tip of a knife to make a small vent in the shape of an "X" in the center of each pie. Trim any ragged edges and use a fork to crimp the edges to seal them. Transfer pie onto the prepared baking sheet, using a bench scraper if necessary. Repeat steps 11 and 12 with remaining pastry and filling.
  13. In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 Tbsp. water and brush the top and sides of each pie with mixture. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 40-45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking.
  14. Transfer to a wire rack, cool for 5-10 minutes, and serve hot with ketchup, grainy mustard, or steak sauce on the side.

*Steps 1-9 can be done the night before and refrigerated overnight. These can also be folded into the hand pies ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake.

**These make pretty large pies, so you can also divide the dough into 8 and use 1/2 cup of filling for smaller portions. We made a lot the first time and froze the leftovers.